Easy sugar free cupcakes topped with vanilla or strawberry frosting. This basic vanilla cupcake recipe can be modified to add a variety of flavors in the batter. Fold in fresh fruit like strawberries in the batter or leave the cupcakes a vanilla flavor. Enjoy for any special occasion.
Sugar free Cupcake Recipe
Before I share this tender cupcake with you, I want to let you know right away that this is a sugar free dessert and lower carb than a traditional cupcake, but it is not Keto.
There are some days I really crave the tender crumb from cakes and cupcakes that only flour can give us.
Luckily, I don’t have food allergies that prohibits me from occasionally enjoying gluten in my diet. I try to limit my carbs in other ways without compromising the taste and flavor of a recipe.
In this case, I used cake flour, which is a fine flour. Although, unlike a traditional vanilla cupcake recipe, I replaced granulated sugar with monk fruit.
It’s kind of the best of both worlds. A little healthier dessert, but still delicious and fit for any special occasion.
Make these sugar free cupcakes for your next birthday celebration! I guarantee that no one will know that it’s sugar free!
Ingredients for sugar free cupcakes from scratch
Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list. Although, it’s a little more work than opening a box of pre-mixed cake, you’ll find the ingredients are stocked pantry items.
Sugar Free vanilla cupcakes
- Cake flour or all-purpose flour
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt
- Butter, unsalted
- Sugar free sweetener (granulated) – I use Lakanto (affiliate) monk fruit
- Vanilla extract – Have you make your own yet? Do it!
- Eggs
- Oil – canola, vegetable
- Buttermilk
- Fruit puree and fresh fruit (I used strawberries) to fold in the batter (optional)
For strawberry flavored cupcakes
You can also add any fruit to the batter. My favorite is sugar free strawberry puree or how about cherry compote? Add into the batter and frosting as noted in the recipe card.
To make the sugar free strawberry frosting, head over to my strawberry frosting post.
Looking for a different frosting? See below for a variety of flavorful sugar free frostings to try!
How to make vanilla cupcakes
These delicious vanilla cupcakes will be your go to cupcakes because there are so many ways to enjoy them.
In fact, by dividing the batter in half, you can make some cupcakes plain vanilla, and the remaining flavor with a puree folded into the batter.
Lot’s of delicious ways to fit your occasion.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl beat the eggs until light and frothy. Gradually add the sweetener, the the oil, and vanilla.
- Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk into the egg mixture. First add the flour, then add half of the buttermilk. Repeat ending with the flour.
- At this point add in additional flavors into the batter or bake the vanilla cupcakes plain.
- Bake and let col completely before adding frosting.
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Beat eggs until light and frothy -
Alternate adding flour and buttermilk in egg mixture – start and end with flour -
Add additional flavor of bake plain -
Cool before adding frosting or enjoy plain.
Additional sugar free frostings
Keep the cupcakes plain or add a frosting of your choice.
- Strawberry Frosting
- Low Carb Cream Cheese Frosting
- Keto Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Whipped Cream – Pudding Frosting
Do I have to use cake flour in this sugar free cupcake recipe?
No. If you don’t have cake flour stocked you can use all-purpose flour in the same amount as a replacement.
Cake flour adds tenderness to the cupcake, so just be aware that your cupcake will be slightly denser.
Can I use frozen fruits?
If you decide to fold in strawberries or any other fruit into the vanilla cupcake, I don’t recommend using frozen fruits for this recipe. The water may alter the cake batter texture.
The cupcakes will still taste delicious, but may not be light and fluffy with the extra liquid from the frozen fruit or berries.
How to store cupcakes
Too many cupcakes to enjoy right away? No problem. These can be left on the counter top for a couple of days at room temperature.
Refrigerator
Place cupcakes in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for about 1 week.
Freezer
Alternatively, you can place cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
Unfrosted cupcakes can be individually wrapped in saran wrap before placing in an freezer bag or airtight container.
I like to use a freezable plastic container so the cupcakes keep their shape, and don’t get squished by the foods in the freezer.
Frosted cupcakes can also be frozen. Just be sure to use an appropriate size container. Defrost on the counter or the refrigerator before enjoying.
Sugar Free Cupcakes
Tender sugar free cupcakes topped with your favorite frosting. This recipe is a basic vanilla cupcake that can be customized with add-in flavors. Enjoy for any special occasion.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar alternative (monk fruit)
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup cooking oil, vegetable or canola
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees and fill cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until lightly frothy.
- Gradually add sweetener beating about 30 seconds until well combined.
- Add oil and vanilla, beat well.
- Gradually add dry ingredients into the egg mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Starting and stopping with dry ingredients. Flour mix, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, then flour.
- Beat until well combined. Batter will seem thin.
- Bake plain OR fold in 1/4 cup of fruit puree I used strawberry and ½ cup diced fresh fruit (optional).
- Divide into cupcakes liners, ⅔ full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Notes
To add in fruits into the batter, you will need about 1/2 cup of chopped fresh fruit or a fruit puree.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 199Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 225mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 3g
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
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Cyndi Macinanti
Hi I followed this recipe to a T and it said it would be thin, and it wasn’t it was very thick. Would that be because I substituted all purpose flour for gluten-free flour?
Sandra Shaffer
Hi Cindi, GF flours are heavier than all purpose, so that is a likely possibility that the texture changed.
Cyndi Macinanti
Thank you for responding 😊I’ll try again!
Krista
Why is the nutritional info saying such high sugar when these are sugar-free cupcakes? Are these not sugar-free?
Sandra Shaffer
Hi Krista, The macronutrients are automatically pulled from a database and sometimes it gets the information wrong. You can use a different recipe analyzer like VeryWell or My Fitness Pal, which I recommend due to individual nutritional needs. Monk Fruit won’t have the impact like sugar does. Hope this helps!
Alexis
How would this bake up as a cake? I have an order for a sugar free cake and I’m struggling to find a good recipe
Sandra Shaffer
Hi Alexis! Yes, can can use this same recipe to make a cake. You will grease and flour two 8″ cake pans. Same temperature as the cupcakes for about 25 minutes. Good luck!
Kathleen
I have a friend who is off sugar right now and needs a little pick-me-up, these were perfect! Used strawberries, what a light and lovely flavor they lend!